Local man reflects on his service

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By Luke Smucker

Pontiac Daily Leader - Pontiac, IL

By Luke Smucker

Posted Nov. 8, 2013 at 3:30 PM

By Luke Smucker
Posted Nov. 8, 2013 at 3:30 PM

Chenoa, Ill.

Movies often portray veterans to be trigger-happy, romanticized war heroes. However, Richard Whitmar of Chenoa, a United States Navy veteran who served from 1966 to 1970, says most veterans he knows would rather stay out of a war zone than run into one with guns blazing.

“Every veteran, no matter what they did, was important,” said Whitmar. “There were a lot of veterans in World War II that never left the United States. They still had a job and they did it; that’s what it’s about. You do what you’re told because when it comes down to it, you don’t have much choice in the matter. You can’t say, ‘Well I wanted to go overseas’ to your superiors. When I talk to veterans who have been in Vietnam and I tell them my story they say, ‘Boy I wish I would have thought of that.’”

Whitmar, a Chenoa native, graduated from Chenoa High School in 1966. He and four close friends from his graduating class decided to join the Navy to avoid being sent to Vietnam.

“That didn’t really change things, two of my friends were sent to Vietnam anyway, even in the Navy. I had orders to go too, but I got in a car accident and broke my leg and didn’t make it, but I would have gone. It’s not like we would have been running around the jungle with a rifle as sailors.”

Whitmar was stationed in Virginia where he spent three years on several different bases. He spent a total of two hours on a ship before he was discharged. He and fellow Navy men were briefed on a general history and geography of the conflict in Vietnam and received a brief introduction on weapons. The veteran says they didn’t learn a lot about weapons because they weren’t going to be carrying them.

“Most of us thought of it as an eight-hour job,” said Whitmar. “We’d do what we were told for eight hours and the rest of our time was free. It didn’t seem like military work, other than the fact that we dressed in uniform and followed a chain of command.”

The Navy veteran served in communications, typing up letters and documents for generals and admirals who needed to be kept up-to-date on the war overseas.

Whitmar moved back to Chenoa in 1970 after completing his time with the Navy. He got married, had children and is enjoying grandchildren. Ten years ago, he got involved in the Pontiac Color Guard and every year, he looks forward to visiting the Pontiac schools in honor of Veterans Day.

Page 2 of 2 - “The reaction and the reception from the kids is always amazing,” said Whitmar. “They are so appreciative and I feel like I am still serving, we all know we are still doing something.”

A common misconception during programs is their three volleys are not a 21-gun salute. Although many people misidentify the moment where the color guard discharges their firearms into the sky, technically it’s called a three-volley salute.

“It consists of three to seven guns, but it’s called three volley. A 21-gun salute is used only to honor the death of high dignitaries like the president or a general. There are times at cemeteries where we do color guard honors, but we don’t shoot 21 rounds, we do three volleys.”

While many holidays are celebrated before or after the official calendar date, Whitmar observed that Veteran’s Day is one holiday that is always celebrated on the designated calendar day.

“It never gets changed to create a longer weekend,” said Whitmar. “Last year it was on a Sunday and that’s when the festivities were held.”

Veteran’s Day is also special to Whitmar because veterans at the war museum will talk about their service experiences.

“You never really hear what they did because they never talk about it,” said Whimtar. “It makes you realize you didn’t know what they went through. We don’t sit around exchanging war stories all day, so it’s special to hear what they’ve experienced.”